Forrest Laws, “EPA issues highly-restricted label for new dicamba formulation,” Delta FarmPress, November 8, 2016.
SUMMARY:
The EPA approves dicamba for use on herbicide-resistant crops. The formulation approved is for use with Monsanto’s new Xtendimax with Vapor Grip Technology, which contains additives intended to decrease volubility and reduce drift. FULL TEXT
Betsy Jibben, “Farmers Waiting for EPA Approval of Dicamba,” AgWeb, November 7, 2016.
SUMMARY:
A mess was created in 2016 when Monsanto began selling its dicamba-tolerant Xtend soybeans before the herbicide designed to use with the GE seeds was approved by the EPA. Farmers bought the seed anyway because of its high yield. Some farmers sprayed dicamba anyways, an illegal off-label use, resulting in 40,000 acres of damage from drift in Missouri alone. FULL TEXT
Marci Manley, “AR Man Shot Dead in Farm Dispute,” KARK NBC 4 News Broadcast, October 28, 2016, posted at www.arkansasmatters.com,
SUMMARY:
In a shocking turn of events, farmer-to-farmer conflict over dicamba drift from off-label herbicide use ended in murder when a man was shot during a meeting about damaged crops. FULL TEXT
Dan Charles, “How Monsanto And Scofflaw Farmers Hurt Soybeans In Arkansas, ” NPR, August 1, 2016.
SUMMARY:
NPR story describes the illegal spraying of dicamba on soybean fields in Arkansas where Monsanto began selling its Xtend dicamba-resistant soybeans before the EPA had approved the new dicamba herbicide formulation for use with the GE seeds. Monsanto said farmers wanted the seed anyway because of higher yields, but many chose to illegally spray older dicamba formulations that were prone to drift. FULL TEXT
“Tennessee Dept. of Agriculture issues new measures for Dicamba,” July 12, 2017, Winchester Herald Chronicle.
SUMMARY:
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture responded to increased farmer-to-farmer complaints of damage from dicamba drift by enacting new rules on dicamba use in the state. The rules include requiring special licensing and record keeping for applicators, banning the use of older formulations for the rest of the season, and limiting the timing that it can be applied, and will be effective through October 1, 2017. FULL TEXT
Gil Gullickson, “Why Dicamba-Tolerant Soybean Technology is in Trouble,” July 11, 2017, Successful Farming,
SUMMARY:
This article reports on dicamba drift in Missouri, where damage to date is tallied at 203,045 acres on soybeans, as well as over 6,500 acres of other crops and gardens, including certified organic vegetable farms. The damage appears to be caused both by known problems with how and when dicamba is sprayed, and also by greater than expected damage from legal and correct dicamba spraying of the newest varieties that are supposed to be low volatility: BASF’s Engenia, Dupont FeXapan Plus Vapor Grip Technology, and Monsanto’s Xtendimax with Vapor Grip Technology. In response the Missouri Department of Agriculture voted on July 7, 2017 to temporarily suspend all sales and applications of dicamba. FULL TEXT
Sonja Begemann and Susan Skiles Luke, July 10, 2017, “Arkansas, Missouri Ban Dicamba,” AgWeb.
SUMMARY:
Effective just after midnight on July 11, Arkansas finalizes a 120-day emergency ban on dicamba sales and use. Missouri also banned dicamba the week before, with the intent of re-opening sales once the investigation into complaints of damage from dicamba drift is complete. The Missouri Soybean Association is quoted as saying that more than 200,000 acres of soybeans are affected in the state. In a statement, Monsanto stressed the importance of “following label and local requirements” for their Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System of dicamba-resistant soybeans. The article lists the number of complaints of dicamba damage in Arkansas as “nearly 600,” up from the 500 reported on July 6, 2017. FULL TEXT
Sonja Begemann, “Dicamba Damage Watch,” July 6, 2017, AgPro.
SUMMARY:
Describes the symptoms of dicamba damage – cupped and wrinkled soybean leaves – and other culprits that could be the cause such as other herbicide damage, pests such as aphids and various plant diseases. It can take 7 to 21 days for dicamba damage to appear, and it will only be evident on new leaves, not those present when the drift occurs. Percentages as low as 0.06 to 1.9% can cause damage resulting in yield loss. FULL TEXT
Dan Charles, “Damage From Wayward Weedkiller Keeps Growing,” July 6, 2017, NPR.
SUMMARY:
NPR Morning Edition radio piece reports that dicamba-related complaints in Arkansas are up from 250 at the end of June to 550 by July 6th. Estimates of potential damaged soybeans are up to 2 million acres. The new Monsanto dicamba resistant cotton and soybean is being blamed for this damage from an herbicide that has been in use for over 50 years. As one farmer quoted in the story puts it, “This technology cannot be allowed to exist. It cannot co-exist with other crops.” On the other side of the debate, farmers using the GE crops claim that dicamba is working great against the herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth that is plaguing their fields, and Monsanto’s head of crop protection sees all this as “just part of the learning curve.” FULL TEXT
Chris Hickey, “Legislative Panel Delays Decision On Arkansas Dicamba Ban,” July 6, 2017, NPR.
SUMMARY:
Reports that the subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council deferred a decision on whether to ban use and sale of dicamba. Governor Asa Hutchinson referred the decision to the committee following hi approval of a 120-day emergency ban proposed by the Arkansas Plant Board. The subcommittee did approve an emergency rule to increase fines up to $25,000 for misuse of dicamba. All this follows the approval in December of BASF’s Engenia dicamba-based herbicide. The board will re-convene to continue the debate the following week. FULL TEXT